Of Bubbles and Trees
by Her Head In the Clouds
Summary: AU He dived into the deep end. She became his best friend. They want to love each other, but they don't know if they can. A two worlds tale about a mermaid and a human who couldn't let family, sea, or shore separate them. Inspired by Coldplay. TarzanAriel


_Copyrights disclaimed to ©GloriousHysteria._

I own neither Tarzan nor The Little Mermaid. This was purely for my entertainment and I hope yours as well. Enjoy! Feedback is open to whoever steps up to it. Please leave a _**one word review**_**.**

Inspired by the Tarzan/Ariel crossover Youtube vid _Floating On a Tidal Wave _by GloriousHysteria. I absolutely loved it (it's what made me ship the two in the first place) and this is my written rendition of her fabulous work. Go watch it, and her other vids, for the true effect! Claims go to her.

This the first Tarzan/Ariel fic I believe since I haven't seen anyone make one yet (hooray!). This is also my first crossover EVER. I'm therefore, uber proud. Now get comfy ...it's long and terribly sappy.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

"For the last time, Ariel ...You are never to go near a land animal!"

"But Daddy, elephants are so strange and wonderful! This is my only chance to see one up close, and they wouldn't be able t-!"

"Have you lost your senses completely? You're a mermaid! You could have been spotted ...or worse!"

Princess Ariel was the youngest daughter of King Triton, the mermaid ruler of the seven seas and even though she lived luxuriously with her six other others in the grand palace of their underwater city of Atlantica, she longed for better things. Ariel was unlike her sisters and disliked the pampering they were given as princesses so she always took her chance to explore beyond the kingdom. It just happened, to her father's upsetting, that Ariel always wanted to go up to the surface.

"Daddy! There's nothing for me down here to see ...to explore! I've seen it all and since I already know what _more_ there is to see beyond the shore I-!"

"THE SHORE!" Ariel winced. She hadn't meant to say _that_ word.

"Daddy I-!"

"It's because of that boy, isn't it? It's always because of that boy!"

"His NAME is Tarzan!" At the name, King Triton's face flared up and his royal adviser, the red crab Sebastian, shot up and swam behind the throne. But King Triton, turned around and found him.

"Sebastian, it was your duty to watch over Ariel and make sure she never went up to the surface, let alone, the SHORE!"

"I-I'm sorry, your Majesty!" Sebastian had watched over Ariel as a child and went with her everywhere. But unlike King Triton, he couldn't get Ariel to agree to anything he said. And plus, the boy she made friends on the surface was nice, so he didn't tell her father about it. King Triton turned back to Ariel.

"Are you still seeing him?"

"Daddy, I-"

"I thought I told you that the world he comes from is dangerous!"

"But he's-"

"Ariel, you need to stop childishly dreaming about the land and remain down here where your safe!"

"How would you what's safe? Daddy, you are never go up to the surface!"

And before he could say another word, Ariel moved around him, grabbed Sebastian and swam off. Her best friend Flounder met her outside the throne room and before the tears could form in Ariel's eyes, the two swam up quickly to the surface.

In a splash, they broke through the water and cool island air blew into Ariel's face. She hiccuped quietly and waded over to a stone close by the shore before she collapsed tiredly into her arms. The warm sun dried her bright red hair and she pushed them past her eyes. She looked down sadly at Sebastian.

"I'm getting more tired fighting with him, Sebastian."

"I know Ariel," he scuttled as far onto the rock as he could. Flounder swam around the rock and offered his own words. It wasn't long before Ariel's friend Tarzan came into view from beyond the forest clearing and clambered over on his knuckles and knees to her. Ariel instantly smiled and waved because Tarzan always knew when to come and his very presence made her feel better.

When the two were little, Tarzan and his 'cousin' gorilla, Turk tried to jump into the lake at the base of the waterfall and when Tarzan fell in first, he sank to the bottom and discovered Ariel and her father, King Triton swimming through for a small trip. Ariel was scared and excited to see a human for the first time and after she helped up to the surface, they became quick friends.

Tarzan was the only human on the island who was found by a group of gorillas as a baby and one of them raised him as her own. He didn't feel like he belonged with the gorillas but loved them as his family all the same, so when Ariel came over with her own similar feelings about the mermaid world, they grew closer. If they could, every day Ariel went up to meet him and Tarzan would visit her at the shore. They were older now, and years later, still close friends.

Tarzan crossed the shoreline and waded over to the rock he squatted atop it and smiled at the mermaid. The bright sun instantly began to dry his tanned body, toned with muscles and his long brown hair.

"Hi Ariel," he breathed, happy to see the mermaid.

"Tarzan! I'm so glad that you're here!"

"Hi Sebastian, Flounder," the young man smiled at the two creatures and they did back. Then he looked at Ariel.

"You're upset..."

She looked up at his handsome face and stared into his blue-green eyes until he made her blush. She smiled shyly. Tarzan always knew how to read past her fake smile.

"Daddy and I had a fight again."

Tarzan huffed and crossed his arms, his muscles bulging under his tight muscles.

"You know that one day he's going to come up here and try to find me because of you."

"But he doesn't get it! He never will ...he's never had what you and I have."

Tarzan instantly softened at her words and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kerchak and I had a fight too today."

Ariel's eyes widened. "You too?" Tarzan nodded.

Kerchak was the alpha leader of gorilla pack and Tarzan's father because he was his mother's mating partner. Kerchak never accepted Tarzan as his true son because he wasn't a gorilla and after he found out about his friendship with the mermaid, he grew more angry. And while Tarzan's mother Kala wasn't okay with the friendship either, she didn't say anything to stop him but to just be careful.

"He's threatened by anyone different from him. But I won't let him tell me how to live my life. I can't change for him ...I won't change."

Ariel felt her heart swell. Tarzan was willing to defy his family's wishes to stay friends with her. She took his large hand in her small one. "And neither will I."

The two were unaware of Sebastian and Flounder's matching smiles. Tarzan and Ariel were good for each other and it was sad to see that they couldn't be together in so many ways.

Tarzan turned his head to the shore.

"I wish I could show everything the land has to offer," he said wistfully. "The trees are so tall you could almost touch the moon at night. And the fruit is tasty, and the vines are fun to swing from."

Ariel followed her gaze sadly, aware of the world she was missing out on and the adventures they could have had.

"I'd invite you underwater too, Tarzan. But there's not much to see..."

When she grew distracted by the view, Tarzan pulled out a small yellow orchid with deep red center. Its color instantly caught her gaze and she stared up at him timidly.

"For you," he said as she took it and twirled it with her fingers. "There are so many bushes with these above the forest floor, and they come in different colours..."

"Are there any in pink?"

Tarzan nodded enthusiastically, hoping it would pull her out her sadness. When she grinned he reached down to clutch her hand.

"One day, you'll come with me and you'll get to see the flowers, and the pack ...you'll get to see it all, Ariel. I promise."

Ariel let go of his hand and lifted her palm to his face. She smiled when he pressed his own palm against hers and stretched their fingers as they looked at the contrast. Tarzan's long and sun-kissed hand was large against her pale, small fingers. They were truly opposite ends.

But before Ariel could open her mouth to say something back, a strange loud grunting sound was heard. Looking up, the four saw a gorilla with brown fur and a sad face. Tarzan sighed and reluctantly let go of Ariel's hand.

"It's my mother. I have to go, Kerchak must want the pack together for something."

"Aw, do you really have to go Tarzan?" Flounder piped up sadly from where he was floating by the rock. Tarzan looked down sadly at the fish.

"I'm sorry, Flounder," Tarzan resigned. "Maybe I'll stop by later."

When Kala grunted again and jumped on her knuckles nervously, Tarzan looked back.

"You must go back," Sebastian advised the young man with a frown on his own shellfish face. "Don't worry, Ariel understands. Right?"

When Tarzan nodded to the crab, he turned to Ariel for a reaction.

The mermaid had her eyes on the gorilla at the shore and she fisted the orchid Tarzan gave her in her hand.

"Will I ever get to meet your mom?" she asked quietly.

Tarzan sighed and began to step down the rock into the water. He looked back at the sad princess.

"One day, when things are better. Not like this." But Ariel wasn't satisfied with that answer.

"I _will_ come onto shore one day. I promise, Tarzan. You're my best friend and I'm not going to lose you over this world barrier."

At that response, Tarzan froze and turned to look at her. Ariel's figure had changed so much over the years. She was a skinny, lightly-tanned woman with a beautiful sea-foam green tail with scales that glittered in the sunlight. But her long, fiery red hair and bright turquoise eyes were still the same.

Without thinking, he reached over and gave her a warm bear hug being careful not to touch her purple, seashell bra as he pressed himself close to her. When he felt her heartbeat, he weaved his fingers into her hair.

"Goodbye Ariel..."

"Goodbye Tarzan..." she whispered back and held onto him just as tight. Then when the moment passed, they both quickly let go and Tarzan jumped back into the water and hurriedly ran back to the shore. He caught up to his mother and they both rushed into the forest beyond Ariel's vision.

And when their rustling disappeared, she sank onto the rock and stared longingly at the orchid with Sebastian and Flounder beside her. The three didn't say anything.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Tarzan's chest heaved in and out as he and Kala slowed into a jog on their knuckles at the gorilla clearing. It was a large meeting ground for the entire pack to meet at, surrounded by large and sunk in above the ground by their trunks to make a nice loft beneath the canopy. The young man narrowed his blue-green eyes and hunched his shoulders self-consciously.

Kerchak had already the meeting.

With a deep sigh and a quick pat from his mother, the human and the gorilla quietly entered the gorilla crowd as they could, but Kerchak had already spotted them.

"Ah Kala, finally you've managed to find him," the silver-back ape grunted loudly in the middle of his speech. He glared deeply as the two approached the front of the gorilla pack.

"Now Kerchak," Kala said in an authoritative voice, "don't you start..."

"Start what? Your son is always running off somewhere when important things need to be done."

Tarzan stepped a bit closer to Kerchak and bowed his head. "I'm sorry," he mumbled but Kerchak snorted loudly through his deep-set nose.

"You _say_you wish to belong to this pack, this family ...and yet you never appear present to take to on any responsibility."

Tarzan shut his eyes in finality. "I was only-"

"What's more, Tarzan," Kerchak continued unfazed by the interruption, "is that I have absolutely no clue as to why you run off! Look around you, every member of this pack is here!"

Kala tried to step up to support her son. "He was visiting a _friend_, Kerchak."

KErchak lolled his head to one side. "Humph, a friend!"

"_Yes,_Kerchak," she persisted, "is remaining loyal to you allies and family not something you have taught him well? Taught all of us?"

"But this is friend of yours," he addressed the question to Tarzan, "is not even of our pack? Another species?"

Tarzan's head up. "She's-!"

"_She? ..._You don't mean that mermaid girl you once befriended as a child ...do you?"

Several gasps around the crowd burst out. Everyone knew about the huge blow up Kerchak and Tarzan had over the strange fish girl years ago. Kerchak forbid from seeing her for the protection of the pack and Tarzan hadn't mentioned her since. They were interested by this news!

Tarzan tried not to bite back a response so turned his head away in deep thought, but the message was read loud and clear. Kerchak flared his nostrils and pounded his chest as he roared briefly. Then pounding his fists to the ground, he puffed out his chest to appear menacing in front of the young man.

"Tarzan!" he yelled, "you are putting this pack in danger! Did I not explicitly tell you many times to avoid being around that fish?"

"She's not a fish! She's a-!"

"They know magic, do you realise?" Several of the gorillas looked around at each other because many did not know what magic was but Kerchak did as the leader of the pack and he had to be aware of the dangers outside the rainforest. "She'll charm you and somehow try to get here on shore!"

Tarzan snapped his head back at the alpha male and glared at his 'father'.

"Ariel would _never_do that!"

"We can't trust their kind. We don't know what they can do us and I choose not accept her or the world from where she comes from!"

"Oh, like me?"

When Kerchak looked back at Tarzan, the man was already stalking up him and he fisted his own knuckles into the ground and puffed out his chest as big as he could. Kerchak glared down at him but was still surprise by his bravery. Everyone fell silent.

"Why are you _threatened_ by anyone different from you?" Tarzan cried, "I'm just like her ...I'm from a world you don't understand so don't want to accept! And no matter _what_I've done to show you how we can look past that you've never once-!"

Tarzan shut his mouth in a tight line and shutting his eyes painfully. He sighed.

"She's like me ...she doesn't fit in down there. She's told me that. So if Ariel and I need each other to fight fathers like you, then ma-!"

"I am _not_your father," Kerchak hissed, "and you are _not_my son."

"Kerchak!" Kala cried but that shut Tarzan up. With a angry grunt, the young man ran off into the bushel as the other gorillas watched him forlornly. A few of them glared up back at Kerchak, including Kala, but the silverback ape was already slouched angrily on his knuckles without any care to their eyes.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Ariel retreated to the comfort and safety of her treasure cove. It was an underwater cave she kept hidden by a large stone with a rock formation that made many shelf-like contours for her to put her treasures on. But today, after her fight her father and her emotional reunion with Tarzan, the mermaid princess spent most of her time peering through the sunlight in the hole at the top of the cave.

She gazed longingly into the sunlight that lit up her entire secret world and cried softly when her thoughts became too much.

"I can't do it," she sobbed as she stretched an arm out through the hole. She pretended that beyond the sunlight, Tarzan was reaching out to grab her hand. Ariel then stopped trying and curled her arm back onto her chest and sank to the beyond of the cave.

She and Tarzan could never be together. No matter how obvious it was to the both of them that they wanted something more to bloom from their friendship, Ariel knew that there was more stopping them from being together than their families. The world... the cruel, heartless, ever-divided worlds of sea and shore would prevent her from being with Tarzan.

"He is my best friend..." she sobbed, "and I can't even be with him."

She shut her eyes, blocking the sun out of her face and wrapped her arms around her. Her heart began to beat wildly as she thought about him.

Ariel thought about his strong arms wrapping themselves around her for protection, his lean, muscular toned body over hers in anticipation of a passion he tried to keep buried from her, his deep laugh that rumbled his chest when he hugged her, his lips pressing themselves into her red hair while she inhaled his earthy, sweaty scent ...she loved it all ...she loved _him_.

"I love him," she whispered to herself as she let the realization finally be accepted. "I love Tarzan ...deeply and unconditionally, I love him."

When she hit the rock on the center of the cave floor she collapsed her buoyant form and let the underwater current play with her long hair.

"I love him..." she repeated as tears crept out of her eyes and merged with the water around her. "I miss you, Tarzan..."

Then she heard a noise and lifted her head and was shocked when a powerful force opened the stone door to her secret cave. No one but Sebastian and Flounder had known about this place!

And like a stone, her heart dropped into her stomach as she watched her father swim through, a manic look on his face. King Triton looked around the cave with a look of terror on his face.

"What..." he asked slowly trying to control his anger, "is this place?"

"I'm sorry, Ariel!" Ariel looked behind the sea king to find Sebastian swimming frantically through the cave entrance, "I tried to stop him! I really tried, but he wouldn't listen! He demanded to know where you were and would no-!"

"Sebastion, _enough_! I am already ashamed and disappointed that you would keep this a secret from me!" King Triton cried angrily and the red crab bent his head down pitifully. Ariel placed her hands to her cheeks and shook her head desperately.

"Daddy!" she cried on the brink of more tears, "Daddy, it's-! It's not w-! I'm-!"

"Look at all this..." he continued ignoring her pleas as he swam around the cave. He stared onto all her strange treasures with disgust and fear. "To _think_ how man times you've gone up to surface to retrieve such items ...the dangers you put yourself through! You could've been killed! Or-!"

"Daddy, I have friends on the shore!" she finally admitted with a heated cry. He spun and stared at her for more explanation.

"I... I-I know about the dangers on the land! You _constantly_remind me so shouldn't you have more faith, more _trust_in me?"

"You are my youngest daughter, Ariel! I worry about you constantly because you are the only of your sisters to be so ...so-"

"So what, Daddy? _Different_?"

"_Irresponsible._"

Ariel tossed her head away and crossed her arms. She knew what her father meant.

"Tarzan will never do anything to hurt me, Daddy," she quietly argued as he floated around the cave. But he didn't hear her already to the point of rage from his discovery.

"How dare you, Ariel?" he said darkly, "How could you betray me? All of this is a reminder that you are endangering yourself and the mermaid race! I forbade you from going to the surface and if that's not enough of an order, this should be!"

And King Triton raised his magic trident and began to shoot and destroy all of her valuable treasures. Ariel watched in horror and screamed desperately as every piece of the world Tarzan came from was shattered in her eyes. She did not cover her eyes but watched her close-minded father with a broken heart.

When he was done, his chest heaving and his trident glowing hotly, she swam up to his face with an angry face close to crying.

"I hope you're happy with yourself!" she yelled, "because I will _never_forgive you for this! I HATE YOU!" And she swam off away from him, Sebastian and her empty treasure cove, leaving the beautiful sunlight behind.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Tarzan stared at his reflection in the water. As he briefly imagined himself with a mermaid tail, he glared and hit the water with his fist. After his fight with Kerchak, he ran down to the edge of the waterfall where the water formed the lake he first met Ariel in.

He was a human, not an ape, not a mermaid. Either way, he couldn't belong to either world so where was he to go? Even if Ariel accepted him for who he was, where could the two of them go? She may look human like him from the waist up but they were from two worlds...

He sighed and stared at his reflection again until a loud growl was heard from behind him. When he snapped up his head and turned, he saw two pairs of amber eyes glaring hungrily at him through the bushes.

Tarzan bent up slowly with an angry flare of his nostrils. How could he have been so distracted as to have missed the cheetah's presence?

Reaching down quickly, Tarzan gripped his makeshift spear, ready for the attack...

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

When Ariel reached the surface, she tore through the waves and let the jungle scent rush into her nose. She had swam far and hard to the only other place she felt safe in ...the lake of the elephant watering hole at the base of a waterfall close to the rainforest ...where she had met Tarzan for the first time.

She hadn't been to it in years because Tarzan (bless his protective soul!) didn't want her to frighten or provoke any animals who lived nearby and see her as a threat. So she obediently stayed away and decided it was okay ...until now.

She really needed Tarzan and did not care at this point if the other animals would be afraid of her. She had to ask them where he was and bring him to the lake because she was hurting.

As she neared the jungle shore, she was happy and relieved to find Tarzan's tanned and furless form hunched over facing the trees.

"Tarzan!" she cried and made a mad swim for the shore. Tarzan turned quickly and saw her, his eyes widened in worry. When she saw the fear in his eyes, she slowed in her swim. "Are ...you alright? What's wrong?"

Her best friend turned slowly and revealed a dead yellow animal to her, with blood smearing its white underbelly. Ariel gasped and covered her mouth.

"What is that!" she asked both terrified and curious. Tarzan put down his bloodied spearhead and stepped slowly away from it, afraid she'd swim off in fear.

"Sabor," he mumbled tiredly, "A cheetah that has eaten the babies of many gorillas of my pack."

Ariel gasped again and suddenly turned her sympathy onto her best friend. She knew instantly why he had to kill it ...there were deadly animals in the sea that had to be killed too.

"Are you hurt?" She asked timidly. She desperately wanted to climb onto shore and wrap her arms around him, but again, the sea and shore prevented her from doing so. Tarzan shook his head.

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry Ariel," he said calmly and attempted to smile. When she was still at a loss for words, Tarzan reached down and grabbed something on the ground and showed it to her.

"Here I made this for you," he said.

"What is it?"

"A necklace. It's made of the teeth of Sabor," he grinned proudly and chuckled lightly. "I know it sounds strange, but it's a sign of power and honour if you have the trophy of my kill. You don't have to wear it! You can keep it as another treasure in your cave s-"

"It's gone."

Tarzan dropped his hand with the necklace still in his palm. "...What?"

"The cave. The treasures. All of it, it's gone! Daddy ...Daddy found out about the cave and _destroyed everything!_" And Ariel couldn't help it as angry tears ran down her cheeks and she splashed the water with gritted teeth.

Tarzan's eyes widened as his mouth fell open. "But how? How did he find it?"

She shook her head, wet red hair flying in a frenzy. "It doesn't even matter anymore. I just lost everything important to me down there and I can't go back. I won't! Oh, Tarzan! I want to stay here with you but I can't!"

Tarzan gripped the necklace and sauntered closer to the edge of the water. "Ariel, I-!"

"I can't though, Tarzan! I can't! _How can we be_ ...I-I need to go! I'm sorry!" And before he could reach her, the mermaid turned on her tail and dove into the water with a mighty splash. Not even his cry stopped her.

When the last of her splash rippled away, he stumbled back onto shore slowly, his heart breaking as the tooth necklace dropped from his grip.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Ariel swam and swam. With her eyes closed to stop the salty tears, she made powerful strokes against the ocean currents and went on for what felt like miles. He hated her father, she hated this underwater world, she hated her mermaid tale! Everything around her was stopping her from being happy and from being with Tarzan. What she wouldn't give for human legs to be with him on the land and away from all this unhappiness!

If only there was a way ..._some way_ for her to be human, to be with her best friend so the two wouldn't ever be alone again.

Then a dim light clicked on in her head.

"Ursula," she murmured. The name of the rumoured sea witch who knew more spells than King Triton herself. She was never to speak of the dark octopus enchantress in Atlantica but had come across the hideous tale in her princess studies.

Ursula was dark sea witch who used strange spells and potions to make magic that could change stone to gold, rags to riches, dreams come true for others... If there was any chance of her getting what she wanted, Ariel knew Ursula had to be the one to go...

But the mermaid stopped. Could she really go against everything she had learned, everything she had been born with and into ...to be with a human? To _be_human? Then she remembered Tarzan's hurt face before she ran away from the lake ...his handsome, boyish, otherworldly face that held so much love for her it was unbearable to accept. But she did accept it, she knew it. She knew he felt the same even after all these of friendship and she wasn't about to give it all up!

She with a powerful stroke, the red-haired mermaid princess swam deeper away into the sea, away from the light of Atlantica and the warmth of the jungle rainforest, into the darkest depths of the ocean...

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

It was days later, a week almost, that Ariel had finally reached a point in the ocean too cold and lonely for anyone but a sea witch to live. She wasn't completely sure if she was in the right place, but her instincts had never led her wrong and went along with it.

Ariel, tired and hungry from the journey, stopped to rest at a large rock. She missed her familiar tropical waters and the sunlight from the surface. It was very dark in this valley of the ocean and she was scared every turn ...but she didn't stop. Every time she felt she would give up, she saw Tarzan's face and knew she had to return for him ...for the both of them.

Suddenly, after being lost in her thoughts for so long, two long shadows appeared before her and after gasping, she realised they were two electric eels swimming eerily together.

"_Ursula is watching for you,_" one of them hissed. Ariel bit her lip gently.

"How does she know that I'm here?" she asked quietly.

"_Ursula knows everything,_" the other hissed and the two cackled darkly at each other. Then they swam away and reluctantly, Ariel followed.

The three arrived at the large skeleton of a dead angelfish. Ariel watched as the two eels swam deep into its open mouth and disappeared. A strange purple glow was coming from within. Ariel held her breath fearfully and finally got the courage to follow them in ...if she had gotten this far, there was no turning back without an answer to her wishes.

Once inside, she heard strange dark music and a maniacal cackling as large explosions lit up the way. Ariel's skin prickled with goosebumps and she rubbed her arms in comfort. When she reached the end of the terrible pathway, the mouth opened up into the bowels of the skeleton fish and she peeked out at the scene before her.

A huge humanoid octopus with black tentacles and purple skin was hobbling around a large black cauldron throwing in different bottles and making smoke erupt. Different coloured flashes exploded before her turquoise eyes and Ariel blinked several times to adjust to the change in lighting. The sea witch swam around for a while enjoying herself before she snapped her head in Ariel's direction, her black beady eyes wide with excitement.

"Oh well, what a _marvelous_ surprise!" and Ursula cackled. Ariel shied away behind a large bone before the two eels swam behind her and wrapped around her like rope before swimming her up to their master.

"Thank you, my precious babies," she cooed patting them each on the head, "Everyone knows that mermaids have _terrible_manners! Don't they now, Ariel?"

At her name, she widened her eyes. "How did you know my name?"

Ursula sauntered away and grabbed another bottle filled with scared-looking fish from a nearby shelf. "Honey please, I am URSULA. I _know_ everything ..._including_your little dilemma involving ...Daddy-dearest!" the sea witch spat.

"So ...you know about how he-!"

"Your father, that _King Triton_, is doing a _terrible_thing to you, my poor girl... Breaking your heart and destroying your dreams. I've seen it all in my cauldron here ..._Oh_, you deserve so much better!"

Ariel looked away as the anger came back with the memory of her cave. "He never understands, he never even _tries_to understand!"

"I know, I know, sweetheart," and Ariel missed the evil grin split onto Ursula's face when her head was turned away, "but _I_do ...I know every bit of pain you are going through because of that human boy."

Ariel's head shot up. "You know about him?"

Urusla pretended to be dramatically heartbroken and pressed a human hand to her chest where her heart should've been. She sighed sadly.

"And such a sweet boy he is! Your Daddy doesn't see dear girl, but you two are _meant_for each other!"

"We ...we are?" A look of hope formed on Ariel's face as the sea witch threw her bottle into the cauldron. A second later an explosion was made and the smoke that rose from within swirled into a large circle. An image began to appear in the centre.

"Oh honey, yes! Yes, you and the ape man are _absolutely_ meant for one another! There is nothing more powerful on this earth than love, my dear and I have _never_ seen such a powerful bond than what I have seen in you!" When Ursula looked back at Ariel, the mermaid was looking down with a small smile on her face. She swam up close to Ariel with a pretend sad look on her face. "You must fight for him, my dear. You can't lose him."

"But how can I when everything is stopping us from being together?" Ariel cried and looked up to the ceiling. She imagined she was still in her treasure cove, looking up into the hole where the sunlight shone through. "We're from different worlds ...Tarzan and I can't be together and no one will accept us being together. We have no world to go to..."

"Then make your own," the sea witch said sympathetically and patted Ariel's hand encouragingly. "In sea, on shore ...surely you can think of a way to be together. Is that not why you have come in search of me?"

"I have," Ariel said as she finally looked at the sea witch. Ursula had short white hair that floated in the current and a double chin. She tried to keep her face pretty with makeup and a bright eyed smile and Ariel tried to look past her hideous face with optimism. This was the only woman in the entire sea who could help her. "I want to be human. I want to be with him."

"Well then, marvelous! Hahaha, my dear child you are strong both in heart and in spirit!" And Ursula swam up to the ceiling spinning her tentacles in joy.

"I ...want legs. I want human legs so I can walk onto shore," Ariel nodded, feeling more encouraged by the sea witch.

"Ah! A suitable wish! I can do that for you ...but at a price, and it is not guaranteed."

"What? Why, what's wrong?"

"Well, you can't just get something for nothing! We haven't discussed the issue of payment! As well, I'm afraid, my dear merchild, that I don't carry the proper items to make you _permanently_ human..."

"Oh no! But please, there must be something you can still do!" Ariel pleaded.

Ursula pretended to think about it thoughtfully then snapped her fingers. "Aha!" She swam up to gather a large assortment of bottles and tossed them into the cauldron. When another smoky circle emerged, Ariel watched for the image to appear.

"Now, I can make you potion that will make you _temporarily_human... You'll have legs, oh yes, long beautiful _human_ legs but _only_ when the moon is out, during the night. Once the sun rises, you'll turn back into a mermaid. How does that sound?"

Ariel bit her lip and clutched her hands together. "A mermaid by day, and a human by night..."

"Yes, it is not completely what you wanted but-"

"No, it's-it's perfect! As long as Tarzan and I can be together somehow, I ...oh thank you! _Thank you_, Ursula!" Ariel cried happily but Ursula raised a hand.

"Aha, not yet! We still need to discuss how you'll pay me."

Ariel looked around for a second and shook her head in defeat. "But ...but I don't have anything to offer."

"Darling, _everyone_has _something_ of an asset to give!" she cackled and her two eels, still watching the scene snickered in the background. "You just don't know it, but you have something _anyone_would want!"

"What is it that I have that you-"

"Hahaha what _I_want from you, my dear, is something anyone would love to have," then she swam up to Ariel and after lifting a strand of hair away from the mermaid's ear she whispered, "_your voice_."

When Ursula swam away, Ariel pressed her fingers to her throat tenderly. "...My voice?"

"Oh _yes_! You have a _magnificent_ voice, my child. I hear your singing voice is the best in the entire kingdom. Give _that_to me, and you can be with your precious best friend!"

Ariel was in deep thought ...she'd have to give up her voice to a sea witch just to be human only 50 percent of the time? Was it truly worth it? How could she survive a life like that? Ariel may not be as chatty as the rest of her sisters, but she still did love to talk and sing ...singing was something she loved to do. Even Tarzan said he loved her voice. But then she thought about Tarzan...

The decision was easy.

"On _one_ condition," Ariel raised her head confidently not willing to let this contract slide so quickly. Ursula raised her eyebrows in anticipation. "Oh?"

Ariel swam up to her with a spark in her eyes. "I keep my voice during the nights when I'm human ...I refuse to remain a mute when I'm with Tarzan. You can take my voice during the day but once night falls ...I want it back."

"Hmm... a payment where you get legs at night and I get your voice in the day?" Ursula thought it over. But it seemed alright, so she snapped her fingers and smiled a big grin.

"Deal!"

Ariel smiled and swam near the cauldron where Tarzan's face suddenly appeared. He was smiling in the image and Ariel felt herself being drawn to it. But then suddenly the smoke poofed into a magical glowing contract. On it read,

_This contract legally binds,_

_I, Ariel Princess of Atlantica,  
>to the agreement that in such time<br>when at sunrise until sundown,  
>I relinquish my vocal abilities to<br>Ursula, the sea witch,  
>in exchange for human legs<br>during which time the sun goes down  
>until sun up. I agree and accept the terms<br>of this contract and hereby sign my consent  
>to Ursula, until further arrangements<br>are met. Signed, __

And Ariel took the magic quill floating beside it and eloquently wrote her name on the line. When the contract disappeared, a strange long bubble erupted from the cauldron and surrounded her body in it.

Ariel cried a loud _Thank you_ to Ursula before a bright, golden light erupted before her eyes and a searing pain exploded in her tail. Ariel screamed as a strange ripping sensation pulled her tail in different directions and suddenly, her tail felt lighter and two tails took its place. As she tried to haphazardly swim in motion with them, the pain instantly washed away and she was lifted with a feeling of warm and lightness. Then Ariel realised she was no longer in the lair with Ursula but in a light, bluer, region of the ocean.

She instantly knew where Ursula had transported her and as quickly as she could try, she practiced to swim with both tails before the bubble popped and the water rushed into her mouth.

Biting back a cough violently, Ariel held her breath as her lungs erupted with a fire. She couldn't breathe! She couldn't breathe underwater and as she closed her eyes in pain she didn't know how deep in the water she was.

Did Ursula plan this? She thought shockingly. Did Ursula deliberately plan to leave her like this, knowing that humans couldn't breathe underwater like mermaids? That's why Tarzan could never stay swimming with her for too long! As she thought about him and her situation, she desperately hoped she wouldn't die underwater where he could never find her and for what reason.

As the world around her started to slow down, what felt like two powerful forces suddenly started to drive her upwards. She didn't know what it was but only prayed that it was get her closer and faster to the surface. And when the sunlight on the other side became too much, Ariel shut her eyes and opened her mouth.

But instead of gulping in water, she was gasping in air. She made it! She made it to the surface without drowning and had survived a crisis she had made for herself. The tropical air had never felt so good rushing into her lungs ...it was a strange feeling, the air felt lighter, easier to breathe in than when she was a mermaid. Ariel thought maybe because as a human now, she depended on it more and her lungs were changed to hold it in.

When she opened her eyes, the sky was dark and the waters looked dark blue close to black. She scratched her head as she waded in the water. But hadn't she just seen sunlight a moment ago? She looked to the sky ...then it all made sense.

The moon was large, huge like a giant boulder in the sky, the light that shone from it was so bright, she realised its white glow almost looked like sunlight under the water. She smiled, the spell had worked.

"Ariel! Ariel, are you okay?" a high-pitched male voice broke her thoughts. When the red haired (now) human girl looked down, she was elated to find her two most loyal friends carrying her to shore.

"Flounder! Sebastian!" she laughed as she panted, "You don't know how happy I am to see you both!"

"Oh, Ariel!" Sebastian cried over the waves splashing his tiny body, "I'm so sorry I couldn't stop him ...Your father! He just-! He was only trying to protect you but no matter what I said he wanted to find you went all the time and-"

Ariel laughed again, still feeling light and wonderful. "Sebastian, no it's alright. I forgive you. I know you tried to stop Daddy and keep my secret ...He just doesn't understand and never will."

"But look at you now! What have you done to yourself?"

When they reached a large rock at the edge of the shore, Sebastian scuttled onto the dark sand while Flounder remained in the shallow water, watching the two. Ariel dragged her body with arms, still unsure how to use her legs and clambered up against a nearby rock formation. When she was a resting position, she wiped her bangs from her face and lifted a long pale leg up to her face.

"I have legs ...I'm a human!" her turquoise eyes widened in excited realisation and she looked up to the moon as she laughed, "I'm a human!"

"A human? Ariel, why?" Sebastian asked desperately, Flounder looked also shocked. "Does ...does that mean you can't come to the sea anymore?"

Ariel shook her head. "Only at night, but during the day I'll be a mermaid again. It was a deal I made with-!"

But then a rustle in the bushes behind them sounded and Sebastian sucked into his shaking shell. Ariel turned to the darkness of the jungle and bit her lip. Was it another jaguar, like the one Tarzan killed?

A moment passed and then ...a long, muscular leg in tanned skin stepped out of the long grass and Tarzan's appearance took full form.

His eyes widened at the sight of the familiar red hair. "Ariel, what are yo-!"

"Tarzan!" Ariel immediately tried to climb up on her legs and run to hug him, but she fell under the strange weight and imbalance of her feet and almost toppled over. Tarzan was quick to be by her side and grabbed her and waist for support.

"Ariel!" he said louder this time, "you have-! You're a..."

She nodded eagerly not waiting for him to finish and wrapped her arms around his neck, not caring if she fell again. She knew he'd be there to hold her up.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

The weeks past and the spell continued to work, and for every single night, Tarzan and Ariel had the best time together that they ever had in their entire lives.

The mermaid (now human) had never known a world to be like Tarzan's, both dry and wet and at the same time and with every tree they climbed and every clearing they explored, Ariel knew she never wanted to leave it.

Tarzan kept her his secret for as the entire jungle slept and were out of his way, he snuck away from the pack and met her on shore before whisking her away to a night life of adventure.

Their time was spent in darkness and although the two of them would have preferred to see the jungle in the day, the glow of the moonlight lit their every way and gave them enough colours to see the energy of the jungle life.

Tarzan taught Ariel how to walk, run, jump, climb properly, and when he was confident she was ready, he showed her everything worth seeing. They went back to the waterfall, chased fireflies and sought bright glowing flowers. They watched the stars glow as they laid in the leaves, and climbed trees so high that they felt like they were almost transported to a new world. And then, there was vine swinging. Ariel cried and laughed the very first time she jumped from a high branch and held on for dear life to the vine as the light of the moon swirled around her. She knew the dangers of gravity were much higher on land than in the sea and she couldn't float aimlessly in mid-current. But to have that fear on shore and _still_ dare to jump off and let the vine take her was all the wonderful! Ariel's heart beat wildly as Tarzan swung effortlessly around her and she grinned with a flutter in her heart. He was so in his element and he looked so good...

She didn't realise the thought was with her for so long until she realised Tarzan playfully twisted his vine around hers and stared down at her with a deeply emotional gaze that it made her blush furiously. Their hearts pounded wildly in the jungle air.

Everything was perfect. It may have only given half of what they really wanted but it was perfect nonetheless...

Many weeks later, Tarzan sat with Ariel on the shore as they waited for the sun to rise. Her time was coming again to change back into a mermaid and the two always stayed together before the first rays rose at the shore. They sat side by side in silence as Ariel smiled gratefully onto the water. She wore a light dress they found in an abandoned tree house one night of their adventures and it suited her girlish figure. Tarzan watched her longingly, gazing at her fiery red hair blow gently in the breeze and how she dug her toes into the sand, squishing it happily under her feet.

Not even thinking about it, he took a huge leap of faith and wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed her close to his side. He was afraid of losing her every day she had to return to the sea. Ariel was the only friend he truly had, and he knew he was falling in love with her. He always had.

"Tomorrow night," he said breaking the silence, "I want to kiss you."

Ariel pulled away in shock but didn't move completely from his side. She blushed madly. "W-What?"

Tarzan sighed and let go of his arm around her and stalked away from her slowly. "I-I'm sorry I ...shouldn't have said that." He knew he and Ariel had something but now he was regretting that maybe he had gone too far a little too early, but Ariel didn't. In fact, she grinned widely and crawled up to him before she took his face tenderly in her hands.

"Wh ...why not ...why not kiss me now?" she asked timidly. Tarzan's mouth parted slightly in surprise, his blue-green eyes wide with fear. "B-But I tho-"

"Tarzan," she began slowly and the two were too distracted to realise the sky was slowly melting into orange. "I've wanted to be with you for so long ..._Nothing_would change between us from this point. In fact, it would only get stronger."

"I just don't want to lose you if this doesn't work out. You're all I really want."

"We're best friends" she argued with a smile, "I would never want to lose you either ... I love you."

And when his eyes widened, Ariel looked away in fear. She regretted that maybe she had said it too early and would scare him off now. She grew mad with herself. But then she felt his larger hands cup her cheeks...

When she turned up to stare at him, Tarzan was already leaning down to press his lips onto hers. She waited with a fluttering breath as her cheeks light up warmly.

Then the first sun rays shot out on the horizon and Ariel pulled away from Tarzan in pain. She grabbed at the sand for support as the familiar searing pain from the change returned and choked on a sob as the magic swirled around her legs. Tarzan jumped up quickly and reached down to lift her body. He carried her bridal style into the water and once there, he gently dropped her amongst the waves and let her float in a glowing light. When a flash erupted and disappeared from his vision, Ariel was nowhere to be seen.

"Ariel!" he cried when the mermaid was missing. She usually reappeared seconds later but he had to be sure she was okay. Then a splash formed some ways away from him. He looked out longingly as the sun illuminated Ariel's figure against the ocean and she floated looking back at him. He dropped his hand to his side after trying to reach for her and let the wind play with his long brown hair as they stared at each other.

Ariel frowned briefly. Now that she was a mermaid she lost her voice until nightfall and she regretted not being able to say goodbye to him before the change. But he was still there ...watching and waiting for her to leave. So Ariel smiled. With a large wave, she said goodbye to him silently and when he waved back, she dived back into the waves, her powerful emerald tail hitting the water as she did so.

"Until tonight..." Tarzan mumbled then he clambered back onto the shore and headed for home.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

King Triton had this gut wrenching feeling gnawing at his insides for weeks and he didn't know why. Something, some parental instinct was nagging him and he couldn't sleep it away no matter what he tried to preoccupy his time with. The ocean was currently at peace, Atlantica wasn't in any danger, all his daughters were safe ...even after Ariel returned from being missing for days, she hadn't argued with him about the shore or the human boy or anything in several weeks. In fact, she looked much happier recently than she had in years.

So what was wrong with the picture? Did he miss his youngest daughter's fighting? And what had made her so happy? King Triton decided then to ask Sebastian after the next royal council meeting. But first before he was on his way there, he made a stop by the castle theatre to watch his daughters practice for their musical number for the next Atlantican festival. He was proud of all his daughters because even with their constant bickering, they managed to practise and perform together with grace and beauty in the music and song of their kingdom. And Ariel was the best singer of all seven, she would sing the final song but she always sang it in private so everyone would be surprised at the end of the show.

When he got arrived, they had just finished the dance number and were swimming back down the podium where he clapped like he did many times before. All the daughters circled him with questions and comments, chatting his ear off about details he really wasn't interested in. When he glanced at Ariel, she was the only one not speaking and was floating the furthest away from them all dreaming in her own little world.

"Ariel!" he called and it stopped the other sisters from talking. "I'm glad to see that you are happy these days! Is everything good then?"

Ariel looked at him and with a big smile, nodded her head eagerly but didn't a word. King Triton floated closer to her. "Well then, tell me all about it!"

But Ariel shrugged and swam in small circles around the band members with her eyes closed in bliss. One of her sisters sighed and crossed his arms.

"Forget it, Daddy! We've already tried to get the answer out of her but she won't tell! She's keeping her mouth shut for good reason!"

"Oh, but I would surely like to know for what reason that would be!" he laughed weakly. But Ariel swam up to a flower pot and plucked a flower from the bunch and swam back down to him. Then she placed in his hair, kissed his cheek, and swam away from him and her sisters. A few of them giggled and King Triton eyed them curiously.

"What is it, my daughters?" And one of them sighed.

"Isn't it obvious, Daddy? Ariel's in love!"

At the thought, King Triton laughed and pulled the flower from his hair. "Oh that's absurd! Who would she ever have the time for anyways?"

"I don't know, Daddy, but whoever she's seeing is sure makin' her all googly-eyed! I wish _I_had that..."

After gazing at the flower, King Triton gazed at Ariel with the rest of his daughters. They watched as Ariel, unknown to the stares, swam in happy circles and spun in a clumsy dance with her eyes closed and a big smile on her face.

Was it true? Could Ariel be...?

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

The moment sunset hit Atlantica and the royal dinner was over, Ariel shot like a shark out of the castle with a quick goodbye to her sisters. They never questioned or followed her about her love life because they were all too engrossed in themselves ...but King Triton stayed by a little longer at dinner to watch his daughter leave.

Where was she going in such a hurry? He decided to follow. She hadn't said a word all evening, _all day_ even, and now he was growing more concerned. Ariel was always a wayward child and he couldn't let his paternal instincts go unused.

He followed silently by himself to the place she was headed ... her secret treasure cove. At the sight of it, his old anger flared up. Hadn't he forbid his daughter from ever going there again? Was this what she was doing? Going back to it to rebuild it and defy him again? When she pulled the stone door closed behind her again, he narrowed his eyes and swam quickly to it.

This time, not being careful to let his anger get the best of him, he opened the door easily with one hand and swam silently in. As he entered, he noticed the last rays of the sun were dying in the ceiling's hole of the cave and the cave transformed into a bluish hue by the reappearing moon.

Then he saw Ariel, floating in the middle near the top of the whole, a big smile still etched on her as her friend, Flounder ..._and Sebastian_ swam around her. The three were talking amongst themselves. That's when King Triton decided to show himself.

"Ariel!" he roared as he swam up to confront her and the girl spun to stare at him horrified.

But before he could say a word, a strange light suddenly glowed around his daughter and she cried out.

"Ariel!" he cried but as he approached her, a strange golden bubble surrounded her and Ariel's body glittered with a strange magic. He watched terrified as her beautiful tail suddenly split into two! Legs! ...She had legs!

When the transformation was over the bubble popped and Ariel was left trying to float clumsily in one place, her eyes bugged-eyed from the lack of oxygen.

"ARIEL!" King Triton screamed in fear but before he could do anything else, Sebastian and Flounder swam under her arms and lifted her quickly through the hole in the ceiling to the surface. "Oh, Ariel!"

And King Triton completely worm out by the discovery, felt numb and could do nothing but swim desperately back to his Atlantica throne room, ready to collapse.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Tarzan tapped his foot impatiently waiting for the sun to go down. All the gorillas were getting ready to settle down and sleep and he was getting restless waiting for them to fall asleep so he could sneak away to the shore.

It had been weeks since his mood had been bad since the fight with Kerchak and the other animals were pleasantly comforted by his warmer, happier self. Something was putting him in a good mood, but the other jungle animals were too occupied with their own lives to care about how he managed to do so. Everyone ...except his mother.

Kala approached Tarzan with a sad look her face but he didn't notice her come until she spoke.

"Be careful," she said calmly and Tarzan stopped his tapping to stare wide-eyed at her.

"W-What do you mean?"

"I mean with what you're doing with Ariel." Kala had never said her name before and Tarzan instantly knew he had been caught. He dropped onto his knuckles and walked over to her slowly.

"Mother, I..." but Kala shook her head with her eyes closed.

"No listen Tarzan," she said as she tenderly stroked his cheek with her furry knuckle. "I know you are all grown up now and I am proud of who you came to be. Smart, brave, loyal, and mature ...but I want what's best for you and to make sure you will be safe. Because you will always be my son."

At her words, Tarzan instantly softened and leaned into her touch then with two strides, he was wrapping his arms around her form and holding her close.

"And you will always be my mother."

A moment of content passed. "Does she make you happy Tarzan?"

And Tarzan didn't have to stop and think about it. He nodded without hesitation.

"I ...I love her."

Kala nodded, although a frown was still visible on her face. When she pulled away from him, she gave Tarzan a stern look.

"Then I won't stop you because this is your decision. But _be careful_."

"I will, Mom," and then he looked at the sky, "I have to go. She'll be waiting."

And with a resigned nod, Kala stepped aside and let Tarzan run off silently into the bushes. She would have to cover for him again if any of the other gorillas ask for him...

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

When Ariel had managed to make to the surface on time once she shot out, Tarzan was already waiting for her at the shore, the glow of the dying orange sky illuminating his tanned body as he smiled at her, holding her blue dress.

She grinned happily at the sight of him and was grateful to be able to voice her voice again.

"Tarzan!" she yelled and sprinted onto the shore before she jumped and wrapped her arms around him. And he hugged her back.

Meanwhile, King Triton's headache had grown into an excruciating migraine as he sat on his throne. So _this_was why she so happy, this was why she snuck off. His Ariel, his precious baby daughter, was a human! Whatever she had done not only defied him, but proved to him that his daughter was lost to him forever. She didn't want to be a mermaid ...she chose to be on land than in the sea and she didn't care that it hurt him because she had already done it.

He placed his head on one hand, clutching his trident in the other. The more he thought it, the angrier he became and when he realised how reckless and ashamed he was of his daughter.

With one last aim to try, Triton gripped his trident and stormed away from the throne, hoping that he could get to Ariel in time before she met that boy... he only knew of one place they could meet.

"Sebastian! Flounder!" He would call for his guards if he needed to find them.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Ariel laughed as she sat on the back of a large hippo as it swam leisurely across the waterfall's lake with Tarzan at her side. The two hitched a slow and peaceful ride on the gentle giant and were enjoying the sounds of the jungle night life and the fireflies that swarmed around them. It was truly a romantic sight.

By surprise, Tarzan gave Ariel a large pink flower in an array of colourful orchids and she cried happily before giving him a hug.

"I love you," she said not afraid to admit it now. They had almost kissed on the shore the day before so every emotion they felt for one another was already out in the open. She grinned when he smiled back tenderly and took her hands in his.

"You're my best friend," he said calmly, "but I want something more..."

At the same time of Tarzan's confession, King Triton had emerged a short distance away to the surface. Sebastian and Flounder were terrified floating at his side, ashamed and sad that they had failed Ariel again. Even though they watched her happy scene, they knew to fear the worst from her father as it looked like he was ready to explode with rage. But Tarzan continued, unaware like her.

"I promise, Ariel, that I will always protect you from whatever stands between us. I want you to be happy..."

"I want _us_ to be happy." He smiled bigger at her words and he knew then, that he could no longer keep the truth from her. He rose his palm to her and Ariel placed her smaller hand against his, admiring their contrast again. He stared at her.

"I ...I fell in love with you too. A long time ago and I..."

"You..."

But the two of them stopped mid-sentence both lost in each other's intensity. Ariel stared deeply into Tarzan's eyes trying to count the flecks of blue that swirled within. She was always mesmerized by his strength, and she felt it even as he held her hands gently in his touch. She shivered involuntarily but held strong.

Tarzan felt himself gravitate toward her beautiful face. Her turquoise eyes became blue in the hue of the lake and the deep love she didn't hide was expressed so painfully close. He closed his eyes. He never wanted to kiss her as badly as he did right at this moment.

Ariel shut her eyes. After years of wondering, hoping, yearning, she waited for his lips to touch hers...

But then a strange tingle in her legs started to form and Ariel pulled away.

"W-What's happening!" She cried.

"Ariel!" Tarzan opened his eyes and saw her slowly collapse onto the back of the hippo, her teeth gritted in pain as her legs started to merge together. It wasn't supposed to happen yet! She had until sunrise! Did Ursula's deal cut short? She looked around frantically as her eyes squinted in pain.

In the distance she saw her father with his trident dipped into the lake, the magic from it flowing toward her and changing her back into a mermaid. She felt tears run down her cheeks at the look of sheer anger on his face. But she didn't care, all she knew was that she would lose Tarzan.

Ariel tried to reach for his shoulders but when the pain the tail subsided she fainted and fell with a big splash into the lake below, her unconscious mermaid form disappearing under the darkness of the waves.

"ARIEL!" Tarzan yelled and went to jump in but was stopped by the searing hot glow of the king's trident poised at his throat. Tarzan backed away on the hippo's back more as King Triton gazed darkly at him over the light of the weapon.

"This, young man," he said deeply, "is _all your fault_." And with a mighty splash big enough to challenge a whale's, the sea king dove beneath the waves and went after his unconscious daughter. Tarzan could do nothing but watch helplessly as the hippo finally sensed the danger and began to make a mad peddle for shore.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Days passed and Ariel did not sleep, eat, or talk to anyone. She spent all her time in her empty cave crying uncontrollably against the rocks as she thought about Tarzan. Flounder came by to see her, as did Sebastian, but nothing they said broke her out of her tears.

"I-I ...I'm never g-going to see him a-again," she sobbed day and night. And while his face appeared so vividly behind her closed eyes all she could do was cry.

Her father had come in and taken her away from him and brought her back to Atlantica. Ariel could have easily just swam back to be with her best friend again. She had imagined herself many times in her days alone of swimming up to the surface just to sit on the rock and wait for Tarzan there ...but it was the principle of the matter that kept her from returning to the jungle beach.

This was the reality. No matter _what_she didor _who_ she went to for help, it was inevitable. She and Tarzan could never be together. Too many things prevented them from ever finding peace and as much as she tried to fight the people and things for him, she was finally beginning to run out of spirit. Her fire was slowly dying and with every passing day, she felt more like giving up.

Not even returning to Ursula for help would make a difference. If her father's powers could easily break the contract the two had made, there was nothing else she could do...

...Tarzan was thinking similar thoughts on land as the morning light began to rise far on the horizon.

He stayed up all night until the sun rose because he hadn't been able to sleep since Ariel was taken away by her father. He wasn't even sure if she was alright since she had fallen unconscious into the water and he couldn't get to her.

Days passed and although Tarzan had gone to the shore many times, he did not see Ariel. When he grew fed up staring out on the ocean and heartbroken from her loss, he didn't return to the pack. Instead, he aimlessly swung through the jungle trees until his heart in his chest gave out and he needed to grit his teeth in pain to prevent the tears from appearing. What was everyone so cruel? Why did no one want him to be happy, to be with Ariel? He loved her with all his heart and was no longer afraid to hide it! And he promised to always be there for her and protect her but that just wasn't enough for the two worlds they came from.

Memories of her as a mermaid rushed into his mind. The things he'd seen when he held enough breath for a nice underwater swim ...Ariel was beautiful when she played with the colourful sea creatures. Her voice changed when she spoke underwater and she was almost angelic. He even remembered all the times he tried to sneak peeks at her from behind the leaves as she sang from the rock at the shore when the tide came in. Her tail curled around the rock and her red hair blew like magic...

He had never cared that she was a mermaid and that he was human. And while it had been almost perfect to have on land with him when she was, it didn't define their relationship and that's why he needed her most. They needed each other.

And that's all Tarzan could think as he gripped a vine helplessly on the ridge of a large tree, watching the sun come up. _They needed each other_.

"Tarzan?" He flicked his eyes over find his mother clambering up the tree with ease before she settled into a seat beside him. Little did he know that Kerchak was right behind her, silent, watching the scene unfold.

He'd had his suspicions about Tarzan and the mermaid girl for weeks because he was always one of the last gorillas to sleep and discovered the boy running off. But unlike Triton, the ape wanted more detail to understand the situation so when he asked his mate for answers, all Kala said was, "Come, and you will see," so he did.

Now he watched as she spoke to his son. Kerchak waited with a deep frown in his brow.

"She's gone," was Tarzan said before it looked like he would remain silent again. He twisted the vine in a vice-like grip. "Ariel's gone. Her father, he..."

Kala's eyes widened. While she did not want to get involved in the mess Tarzan had made, seeing the obvious despair and heartbreak on his face was enough to send her into mother mode. Her heart went out for him. "Did he ...hurt her?"

Tarzan squeezed his eyes shut in response and bent his head. "She wanted to be human, to walk on the land and see the jungle. She wanted to be with me ...but he didn't ...he changed her back and brought her back to the ocean."

"Oh, Tarzan..." she tried to touch his fingers but he snapped his head at her.

"What's wrong me, Mom! Am I so bad for her that her father would drag her back to the place where she's unhappy just to be safe? I ...I _know_ he's her father. He just wanted to protect her, to keep her safe. I _understand_that! But am I really that terrible?"

"No, Tarzan. _No,_you're not."

"Look at me, Mother," Tarzan sighed and opened his red eyes to the jungle sky again. "No one wants me. I'm the only human in this entire jungle ...even my own real mother and father didn't want me. They left me here, and I'll remain different to everybody else..."

Kerchak furrowed his eyebrows as a wave of guilt washed over him, knowing he was partly responsible for Tarzan's way of thinking. Kala remained silent to let him finish.

"But with Ariel," he took a deep breath. He could always tell his mother anything. "With Ariel ...it didn't matter because she was different like me. And I have never judged anyone by their looks, you know that."

And Kala nodded her head with a proud smile. If there was one thing about Tarzan, it was that he never judged others. Tarzan sighed and looked at her.

"I miss her, Mom..." and Kala took this chance to wrap her arms around her son. He returned it gratefully. "I'm happy I have you."

"And I you, Tarzan."

Kerchak took a step forward out of the shadows and when Tarzan pulled away her stared at the silverback ape in surprise and mild fear. Was Kerchak here to argue about everything he had just said?

Kerchak walked slowly up to the two and paused when he got up close. Tarzan and Kala waited as they held their breath. Then, in a large grunt, Kerchak pounded his fists against his chest softly as a sign of respect. When he finished, he stood on his knuckles and gave Tarzan a soft look.

"What you have just shown me," he said calmly, "is something I have never been able to fully understand, Tarzan. I wish ...I could learn to understand selfless love the way you have."

At his words, Kala grabbed his fingers for support with a big smile on her face, Kerchak gave her a tiny one before he turned back to the young man.

"This mermaid...is she..." Kerchak paused but Tarzan, who began to feel his spirit burn with a new fire, waited for him to continue. "...and ...she will not harm us?"

Tarzan shook his head confidently and encouragingly. He smiled slowly.

"All Ariel wants is a better life ...even if it means living with a bunch of apes."

So Kala smiled and Kerchak put his enormous hand on Tarzan's shoulder.

"Then go to the shore. Wait for her."

At this Tarzan widened his eyes as his mouth fell open. "Wh-?"

"I may not ...ever truly understand how you and she will be able to stay together. But from what I see in you and how you speak, I know that the bond you share is something everyone, no matter what kind they come from, wants."

Tarzan nodded without hesitance and Kerchak, for the first time since the man could remember, smiled at him.

"If she is to be your mate, wait for her. She will come ...I, and I am sorry."

Tarzan placed his own large hand on Kerchak's and smiled up happily. "Thank you, Kerchak," and with a fleeting look to Kala, Tarzan began to clamber down the tree.

"Good luck ..._son_," Kerchak called down and Kala hugged him around the waist in pride. If Tarzan wasn't more focused on getting to the beach, he would have stopped to rub his stinging eyes.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Ariel didn't hear as her father finally worked up the nerve after days of avoidance to see her. She was still sobbing against the rock and the sea king instantly felt guilt wash over him at her broken state. He hadn't meant to be so harsh ...and now he was regretting it. He sighed loudly enough for her to hear.

"Daddy, I-I want you o-out!" she heaved behind her arms still angry with him. But Triton didn't back down.

"No, Ariel. I refuse to leave until you explain to me why you're still here crying..."

The king didn't realise that she was this upset for days. He had tried to avoid her but then the final performance day came and she never appeared for her singing act, he asked her sisters where she was. They said she had never showed up since the last time they practised a week earlier when he was there. And he knew, this time he had really messed up. So he went to look for her.

"Ariel, I..." he tried to talk over her angry hiccups, "Oh, Ariel ...I didn't mean to hurt you so bad. I was just ...I am, I'm your father so it is duty to protect you and ...well, I always want to look out for you and I guess I haven't yet learned to listen before I think ahead."

Ariel kept crying but it was obvious she was listening.

"What can I do to make you happy again?"

"Really, Daddy! You _know_ the answer," she finally shot up from the rock, glaring red puffy eyes at him. But Triton shook his head and shut his eyes.

"But ...really, the _human_?"

"He accepted me for who I am!"

"Then why did you have to change to be with him?"

"Because it was _my_choice!" And Triton widened his eyes sadly.

"You ...you really hate this world so much ...that you would willingly give it all up for him?" But Ariel shook her head, trying to make him see the understanding.

"No, I ...Daddy, you don't think I hate _you_ ...do you?" she furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip. When King Triton didn't immediately say anything, the mermaid princess gasped and grabbed his hand.

"Daddy," she began calmly as she looked around the broken cove with sad hope, "I know we fight alot and we may never see eye-to-eye on things but ...I still love you, with all my heart. You're my daddy and I'm still your daughter, no matter how old I get."

And King Triton finally understood what she meant. Ariel, his youngest daughter, may be the baby he still cherished like an oyster pearl but she was also a young woman. He had to learn to let go of her somehow, even if it meant to another man. So he sighed.

"That's right," he concluded with a frown, "you're my little girl ...but you're also mature enough to make your decisions." Ariel nodded with a frown too, sad to realise the reality of their situation for the both of them. But as much as she loved her father, there were greater things she waited for.

"I wouldn't be gone, Daddy. I'll be right up there on the shore if you _ever_needed to see me ...and I'll be happy, you wouldn't have to worry about me."

"So you would still choose to live up on land with the boy?"

And Ariel nodded. "Tarzan and I need each other, he doesn't judge me or _care_ that I'm a mermaid. We've been best friends for years..." and as she thought about him her eyes began to well up again. "Daddy, _why_ can't you see how upset I am w-without him! I ...I-I ...I LOVE HIM!"

And Triton widened his eyes sadly as the guilt washed over him tenfold.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Tarzan knelt in the sand as the setting sun beat down on his tanned skin. He stared out onto the waves with a sad face, perking up every time we saw a faraway splash that he thought to be her.

He gently cupped a small, white flower he picked for her but frowned when he realised it was beginning to wilt without water for the entire day. Was their relationship to end like this? Wither and die into nothing because they couldn't do anything to save it?

Tarzan refused to believe it, which was why he sat on the edge of the shore looking out at the sea for hours waiting for Ariel to come back.

He wasn't aware of it, but Kala, Kerchak, and the other animals and members of the gorilla pack hid themselves in the bush beyond the beach in curiosity and hope. They wanted to meet Tarzan's mate and they wanted him to be happy. He deserved to be. So they sat in silence as the sun began to set.

Tarzan sighed when the first of the stars began to peek out in the growing indigo sky. Maybe he was too late ...maybe she had come in the morning to find him and could no longer come to the surface. Maybe she gave up on him, and that was what hurt the most. So after rubbing his eyes tiredly and proceeding to get up, he made to leave.

Then, a bright light glowed from a small spot in the waves and he stopped. As it grew larger, something began to emerge from the light. A head of bright, red hair...

The other animals watched in shock and excitement when the strange human girl like Tarzan began to walk up from beneath the water with a big smile on her face. Behind her, King Triton held his trident into the water and smiled softly at his daughter. Sebastian and Flounder were with him.

When Ariel spotted Tarzan on the shore, a small flower in his hand and a look of utter shock and relief on his face, she couldn't help and cried happily. He had waited for her. He didn't know when or if should would ever come back but he had tried, and that was enough.

Her father's voice echoed in her head as a warm feeling washed over. _You can always return to Atlantica whenever you wish ...but I know, this is your home now._

"Tarzan!" she laughed and lifting up the trail of the long, green dress she wore, she sprinted from the water and onto the shore until she reached him. Tarzan ran to meet her halfway with his arms stretched out in happiness and scooped her up in a powerful swing.

The jungle behind him erupted with a animal cries of excitement and King Triton smiled gratefully. Kala smiled up at the two. She had no words to say.

When Tarzan couldn't wait anymore, he put her back down and pressed his forehead to hers. And with a tender smile and he cupped her cheeks and pressed his first kiss to her lips. Ariel closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck.

They had never felt more certain and happy about where they both belonged.

END.

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**Leave your thoughts.**_**Stay gold**_**. & thanks for reading.**

_- Abby_


End file.
